Intro for July 14, 2025

Dear Gossips,   

Love Island USA season seven is over… but not really, because last night during the finale, our beloved Ariana Madix announced that there would be a reunion show, which, of course Peacock wants a reunion show. As we’ve seen, Love Island USA is doing huge numbers and last season’s reunion show, if you recall, was pretty spicy. JaNa came with FOUR PAGES of receipts, LOL! 

The season seven reunion will drop on August 25, probably a week or so after they tape it, which means the islanders will be gathering in New York in about a month. That’s enough time for all of them to watch back all the episodes and/or get online and livestream or podcast about how they were done dirty by the editing and/or sh-t talk the people they didn’t like, and make even more mess of the situation. 

Also, considering that three out of the four couples who made it to the final four were not closed off (with Huda and Chris actually breaking up on their final date!), and still have entanglements with people who’ve already left the island, it’ll be interesting to see where they all stand. And also who shows up. 

Pepe, after all, left the island with Iris but has unfinished business with Hannah. And then of course there’s Nicolandria, the fan favourite, the couple that the audience shipped into existence and whether or not the reunion will be “holding space” for Cierra. Because of course while some people don’t think she deserves to be part of it, let’s also not pretend that we don’t want to see her in the same room with Nicolandria, considering that she and Nic were supposedly the strongest couple in the villa before she was removed. “America” has had more influence this season than any other so far. And if we know anything about “America” judging by the votes, it’s that America wanted drama more than love on Love Island USA…with one exception. Some would argue the exception that counted most: Amaya Papaya. Amaya and Bryan are now the first Latino couple to win Love Island USA, with Amaya emerging as the sweetheart of the show. Her journey is probably the most wholesome thing to come out of probably the most cynical season of the series so far. And this is the challenge that Love Island USA will have to confront if it wants to correct from the mistakes and poor decisions of season seven: how to restore the audience’s faith that this show really is about what they say it is. 

Yours in gossip, 

Lainey